(solved)Question 1.34 of NCERT Class XI Chemistry Chapter 1

A welding fuel gas contains carbon and hydrogen only. Burning a small sample of it in oxygen gives 3.38 g carbon dioxide, 0.690 g of water and no other products. A volume of 10.0 L (measured at STP) of this welding gas is found to weigh 11.6 g. Calculate (i) empirical formula, (ii) molar mass of the gas, and (iii) molecular formula.
(Rev. 19-Mar-2024)

Categories | About Hoven's Blog

Parveen,

Question 1.34
NCERT Class XI Chemistry

A welding fuel gas contains carbon and hydrogen only. Burning a small sample of it in oxygen gives 3.38 g carbon dioxide, 0.690 g of water and no other products. A volume of 10.0 L (measured at STP) of this welding gas is found to weigh 11.6 g. Calculate (i) empirical formula, (ii) molar mass of the gas, and (iii) molecular formula.

Video Explanation
(detailed solution given after this video)

Please watch this youtube video for a quick explanation of the solution:

Solution in Detail

Let the empirical formula be $\displaystyle C_xH_y$

$\displaystyle C_xH_y + \text{oxygen} \rightarrow \underset{3.38 \text{ g}}{\text{CO}_2} + \underset{0.690 \text{ g}}{\text{H}_2\text{O}}$

$\displaystyle \implies \text{(1) C in C}_x\text{H}_y = \text{C in CO}_2$

$\displaystyle \implies \text{(2) H in C}_x\text{H}_y= \text{H in H}_2\text{O}$

$\displaystyle \underline{\underline{\text{Step 1: Calculate C in 3.38 g CO}_2}}$

Molar mass of $\displaystyle \text{CO}_2 = 44 \text{ g/mol}$

mols of $\displaystyle \text{CO}_2 = \frac{3.38}{44} = \frac{169}{2200} $

i.e., $\displaystyle \text{mols of C } \approx \frac{7.68}{100}\text{. . . (1)}$

$\displaystyle \underline{\underline{\text{Step 2: Calculate H in 0.690 g H}_2\text{O}}}$

Molar mass of $\displaystyle \text{H}_2\text{O} = 18 \text{ g/mol}$

mols of $\displaystyle \text{H}_2\text{O} = \frac{0.690}{18} = \frac{23}{600} $

$\displaystyle \therefore \text{mols of H} = 2 \times \bigg(\frac{23}{600}\bigg)$

$\displaystyle \implies \text{mols of H} = \bigg(\frac{23}{300}\bigg)$

i.e., $\displaystyle \text{mols of H } \approx \frac{7.66}{100}\text{. . . (2)}$

$\displaystyle \underline{\underline{\text{Step 3: Empirical Formula}}}$

by (1) and (2), simplest ratio of C : H is 1 : 1

Hence empirical formula is $\displaystyle CH\:\underline{ Ans}$

$\displaystyle \underline{\underline{\text{(ii) Molecular Mass}}}$

Given 10 L at STP weighs = 11.6 grams

so 22.4 L = $\displaystyle \frac{11.6}{10} \times 22.4 \approx 26 \text{ gms} $

But 1 mol gas at STP occupies 22.4 L

Hence 26 grams is the mass of 1 mol

hence molar mass $\displaystyle = 26\text{ g/mol} \:\underline{ Ans}$

$\displaystyle \underline{\underline{\text{(iii) Molecular Formula}}}$

Empirical formula $\displaystyle CH$

$\displaystyle \therefore $ molecular formula $\displaystyle C_nH_n$

$\displaystyle \therefore$ molar mass = $\displaystyle 12n + 1n = 13n$

$\displaystyle \implies 13n = 26$ (g/mol) found above

$\displaystyle \therefore n = 2$

$\displaystyle \implies $ molecular formula is $\displaystyle C_2H_2 \:\underline{Ans}$

Creative Commons License
This Blog Post/Article "(solved)Question 1.34 of NCERT Class XI Chemistry Chapter 1" by Parveen is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.